George H. Belt Jr. was born on 28 January 1938. He received his bachelor's in forest mangement from the North Carolina State University's School of Forestry in 1960. In 1962, Belt earned his master's of forestry from Yale University's School of Forestry. Additionally, he recived his Ph.D. in Forestry from Duke University School of Forestry in 1968. In 1965 he was hired as a professor of Forest Resources at the University of Idaho, a position he would hold until 1979. From March 1979 to July of 1980, Belt served as Forestry Advisor and Research Methodology Specialist for USAID/Washington. He served in a USAID Mission in New Delhi, India from 1980 to 1982. He returned to the Universtiy of Idaho in 1982 as Associate Dean for Research and Director of International Forestry Programs until 1986. He transition into a professor of Forestry with responsibility for graduate and undergraduate instrcution and research in watershed management and international forestry in August of 1986. Belt held this position until his retirement in 1998. He was named Professor Emeritus of Forest Resources at his retirement. He continutes to live in the Moscow area.